


Not a big deal

by Saysi



Category: Free!
Genre: Crybaby Matsuoka Rin, Established Relationship, Fluff ish, Haru being awkward, M/M, Making Out, One Shot, Post-Canon, Second language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-01
Updated: 2017-01-01
Packaged: 2018-09-13 23:50:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9147442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saysi/pseuds/Saysi
Summary: Rin and Haru have been together for a while now, but Haru still struggles to vocalise any of his feelings - which is a problem for Rin, who really needs to hear them.





	

"Come on, it's not a big deal" Rin teased, one hand roaming under blue cotton "It's not like I'm gonna be shocked"  
"You already know, why do I have to say it?"  
"Because I like to hear it"  
He started to tickle Haru's sides lightly and Haru squirmed away, finding himself quickly pinned to the floor under Rin's cheeky grin.  
"You know you want to"  
"I do not"  
"Sure you do"  
Haru lifted his head to meet Rin's lips, but Rin pulled back a little, getting just out of his reach.  
"Not letting you off that easy"  
"Come on" Haru whined, his hands lifting to slip under Rin's shirt "I just want to kiss you"  
"Just one little sentence, then you can kiss me all you want"  
"Why does it matter?"  
"Because... It just does. Come on, for me"  
"That's mean"  
"Please, Haru?" he pouted, and Haru could barely look at him "It matters to me"  
"Ugh. I like you, Rin. I like you a lot"  
"Was that so hard?"  
"Yes"  
"You're cute"  
Rin laughed at the pitiful expression below him, finally obliging as Haru stared at his lips.  
"I like you a lot too, Haru. You're my favourite person in the world"  
"Yeah, yeah"  
"See? It's easy"  
No matter how hard he tried, it was always a struggle to make Haru say anything remotely affectionate. As far as he was concerned, it didn't need to be said. Rin knew, that was what mattered. He knew from the extra packed lunch left on the counter when they were getting ready to go to training, from the hands that clutched at him almost desperately in the night, from the knees that curled up tight in the bath to invite Rin to join him. But Rin needed to _hear_ it. He needed to hear those beautiful words, even if they needed to be coerced out of him. One day he hoped there would be more conviction in them, that maybe he would choose a stronger word than 'like', if he even dared to think about that. Because Rin knew how _he_ felt, he'd known for a long time. But he didn't dare say it for fear of scaring the boy off.  
And so Rin kept pushing, day after day, dragging those words out of him. Because maybe one day he would get used to it, maybe one day...  
His thoughts went blank as Haru bit at his neck, and Rin gasped, caught off-guard.  
This was another way Rin knew, Haru thought. From the rough kisses and fumbled groping, the desperation to keep Rin's body as close as possible at all times. He kissed the mark he'd left behind, a little too overzealous in his enthusiasm, and Rin's head tilted to give him easier access.  
Truth be told, he'd been working on it. He wanted to say the kinds of things Rin said, just to make him happy, but every time he tried it just felt so _awkward_. He had an idea though, that he wasn't entirely convinced he could pull off, although it had seemed a little easier in his practice attempts. At least, if nothing else, the words had sounded less strange.  
Rin's hand had made its way to Haru's waistband and then stopped, never quite willing to go any further. It wasn't time yet, Rin had said. He wasn't sure it was the right thing to do.  
Haru knew what he meant, even though he tried to be vague when he said it. Damn Rin and his stupid romantic notions.  
He was aching though, wanted so badly to be close to him, to finally lay themselves bare and just be _together_.  
"Rin, I... You..." he fumbled the words, hating his terrible pronunciation  
Rin opened his eyes, considering Haru with a confused little crease between his eyebrows.  
"Are you speaking English?" he asked, as if he thought he'd imagined it. "Why?"  
"I... I love you, Rin"  
Rin froze, and Haru flooded red in response, stuttering as he tried to come up with an excuse or laugh it off, pretend he didn't know what he was saying.  
"Do you really?" he asked softly, in far more natural English than Haru would ever be able to manage "Or are you just...?"  
"Yeah" Haru nodded, propping himself on his elbows to meet Rin's eyes easier "I think... I think it's easier to say, that way"  
"Yeah?"  
"Yeah"  
"Well then I love you too" Rin smiled, brushing his fingertips over Haru's pale cheek "more than anything"  
"I love you" he said again, testing the words and finding they didn't sound so bad after all. "I love you, Rin..."  
Whatever he'd expected, it wasn't tears. It wasn't Rin sitting up and scrubbing at his eyes stubbornly, pretending he wasn't choking on his words.  
"S-Sorry" he stumbled, forcing a pathetic laugh "I've just been waiting so long, and I never thought..."  
"Sorry it took so long"  
"N-No, d-don't be, I just..."  
"It's been a long time, I didn't... I didn't just think it. You know that. Don't you?"  
"I know, I do. But hearing it is so... Damn it Haru, you're not meant to make me cry when we're in the middle of making out"  
"Sorry, I won't say it again"  
"No!" Rin insisted, turning indignantly and finding a teasing smirk aimed his way "you jerk"  
"Come on" Haru climbed to his feet, dragging Rin toward the bedroom "you look like you need affection"  
He let Haru discard their clothes, crawling into bed with Rin in his underwear and Haru in his less than modest swimsuit, and he sighed into Haru's warm chest as they snuggled in close.  
"Sorry to ruin the moment" Rin mumbled "I know you were... into it"  
"It doesn't matter" Haru frowned, stroking the bright red hair that spilled over Rin's pillow "we have plenty more opportunities to make out, it doesn't have to be now"  
"Okay"  
"I like this too, it doesn't all have to be rolling around like animals"  
Rin cracked a smile despite his watery eyes, tilting his head back to see Haru's gorgeous smirk again, and kissed his lips with the softest of touches.  
"Say it one more time?"  
"I love you"  
"Wow" he smiled to himself, closing his eyes as he leaned into Haru's chest "I like the way that sounds"  
"Me too" Haru admitted "it didn't turn out as bad as I expected. Now be quiet, it's sleep time"  
"Okay" he practically purred as he snuggled in a little tighter "and Haru?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Tomorrow I'm going to ride you so hard you can't see straight"

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for all the support guys! Reading your comments is the highlight of my day <3
> 
> Please check my profile for info on upcoming fics etc!


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